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Beat the Streak Report: April 11

Remember back in middle school gym when that one bully would always pants you in front of the whole class?

You’d come out of the locker room and start getting warmed up for Pickleball, and this guy would sneak up behind you and pull down your meshies so everyone could see your smiley-face Joe Boxers. This happened a solid three times per week for the duration of seventh grade.

The first couple days, he was just being mean. But after that, it was partially your own fault for not convincing your mom to buy you some gym shorts with a drawstring. And also your mom’s fault for not letting you go to the mall without her. Everyone else was allowed to … so unfair! I’m going to live with Joey’s parents! Wait, what?

Sorry to dredge up those deeply repressed memories — which definitely did not come from personal experience (always the pantser, never the pantsee!) — but the pantsing incident is pretty much exactly like picking Albert Pujols in BTS right now.

The first few times you got burned by the best player in the game, it was on him. But for the love of Allen Craig, Prince Albert has now taken 0-fers in five of his first nine games this season, including both Saturday and Sunday. He’s 5-for-35 (.143) overall with just one multi-hit effort to his name

Picking him is like walking into gym class with your shorts already around your knees: Maybe they won’t get pulled all the way down, but it’s quite the unnecessary risk.

The fellows below aren’t belt-and-suspenders safe — it is Monday after all — but, like a trusty pair of compression shorts, they should provide both comfort and support.

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44 Comments

Damn Dave, you’re getting earlier everyday with your posts. Nice.
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Like I said in other post, I’ll hopefully run top2500 around noonish to include Tex/det game. Post up later this afternoon/ early evening(east coasters)

I’m walking into that gym with pants completely up and daring anyone to pull them down. My sleeper pick for today: Sir Albert. Why? I think he’ll start on the road back to royalty, tonite. In past 15 PAs, he has 2 BB and 2 SO. All others were hit, just to somebody. He has Holliday for protection again & hitting in a hitter-friendly park against competition that is not the world champs. Albert’s BA invites pitching, By the time, ARI realizes they should have pitched him more carefully, Albert & I will have our hit(s).

@00Liber. Curious to find out what percentage of perfect streakers pick the early game today. My guess is that they are getting jittery and can’t wait 6 more hours for the later games. Guessing 20-30%. Haste makes waste.
Looking ahead… I wouldn’t be surprised to see high number of ‘no selections’ for the next Monday. It has a really early lockout. Bloggers remember to pick night before at latest.

I’m one of those perfect streakers, but I’m going with Miguel Montero late for a 12-streak. In the past I used game times as a tiebreaker (favoring early games), but I’m trying to be more serious about my picking these days.

@lav- there were a couple times last year when I couldn’t wait for the later games so I picked from the early one as well. Fortunately for me I only did that when I was below 5 or 6. Hopefully these people that are at double digits will agree with you that waiting for someone to play in the last game could be a wise idea if they are the best choice for the day. Anyway, I went with Marlon Byrd today as I think the Cubbies will hit well in all three games against the Astros and I think I am picking a Cub all three times. GL everyone!

Appears we have a better group of streakers. Only a small handful picked the early games. Though not all may be ‘good pickers’. A few picked Helton who may be a pinch hitter today. Ichiro highest picked, & none picked Albert ;)

For the first time, I’m all alone with my pick: Montero. The guy is leading the league in hitting, will almost certainly play (he sat on Saturday), can’t get rained out (retractable roof), and is 2-4 lifetime against the mediocre opposing starter.

Yes, he could have an 0-fer, but I’m surprised I’m the only one with this pick. I also thought Kemp was a can’t-miss pick, but I basically flipped a coin (figuratively).

Five of the early pickers have been rewarded already, as Hamilton and Cabrera each have at least one hit. But somebody also picked Mike Napoli of Texas, who has apparently started only five games this year and did not start today’s game!

Well I have a sleeper for today. I know it’s late but I wasn’t home the whole weekend and this is my first time to post since than. Coco Crisp. He ropes against Buehrle and I expect that to continue. 15 hits in 41 ABs against Buehrle so far and that should continue. Also to pearson, I wouldn’t go to Montero too much as he is hot right now but they are playing the Cards and that has to be a fluke he’s hitting so well and he will cool off eventually.

It’s only my second pick of Montero. I saw a lot of him this weekend as a Reds fan. One thing I look for is whether he gets his hits in bunches (feast or famine), or consistently over many games — and he’s been the latter so far. I really don’t know how to predict a cool-down, but I also try not to go to the same well too many times.

@vinny-glad to see you back, did you have a good weekend in PA? Went with Byrd today and hoping the Cubbies will hit well in Houston. Funny, I actually thought of going with Crisp today, GL!
@00liber-I like the smiley face too, haha.

I do say you are a bit fearless. You and others have no qualms picking players towards bottom of lineup. In NL, I won’t even consider players 6th-8th at home. Pitchers eat up too many outs and if team is winning in low scoring game, getting 4 ABs could be a challenge especially considering double switches. It’s just a risk I’m not comfortable with and do realize it does remove a large number of players to pick from.

@champ-I am from Seattle so I am a Mariners fan and I have to say that was the sweetest thing ever. Down 7-0 going into t he bottom of the seventh and coming back to win, INCREDIBLE!! I don’t know the answer to your question but that is interesting. I didn’t even realize that until you said something. Good job Mariners, now build on this and don’t go lose your next 7 in a row again, haha!

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